Apparatus for arranging articles



March 11, 1930. R. H. PATCHEN ET AL APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ARTICLES Filed June 16. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 11, 1930. R. H. PATCHEN ET AL 1,750,329

APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ARTICLES Filed June 16, 1926 2 Shgets-Sheet 2 Hg 7 54 35 F4 6f 54 52 45 if; 24 F g 4/ 24 60 /q I 73 ./7 73 Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT HAND PATCI-IEN, OF CHICAGO, AND GEORGE LYNDEN ROCK, OF CICERO, ILLI- NOIS, ASSIGNORS TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ARTICLES Application filed June 16,

This invention relates to apparatus for arranging articles, and more particularly to apparatus for arranging articles in predetermined positions for assembly purposes.

It is the practice in some instances for workers to manually select articles from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof and to subsequently arrange the selected articles in proper predetermined positions for assembly purposes. One example of such practice may be found in the art of manufacturing ringer coil spools extensively used for signalling telephone subscribers in tele hone systems wherein small peculiarly siaped terminal parts must be fitted to the heads of these spools. It has heretofore been the practice in some instances for a worker to select these small terminal parts from an indiscriminately arranged supply thereof and subsequently assemble them with the head of a ringer coil spool. Due to the relatively small size of these terminals and to their peculiarity in shape, considerable time must necessarily be expended by the worker in selecting, orienting and arranging the article in proper assembly relation with respect to the spool head.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive apparatus for arranging articles in proper predetermined positions during the advancement thereof from a supply.

In order to attain these and other objects and in accordance with the general features of the invention, one embodiment thereof in cludes a pair of horizontally disposed screws rotatably mounted at their ends. One of the screws is formed with a spiral groove or way which is designed to receive terminal parts and to effect the advancement of a terminal part properly lodged therein. A rotatable hopper serves to indiscriminately feed terminal parts to the screws and a spiral way provided in the screws serves to effect the displacement or ejection of terminal parts which 1928. Serial No. 116,492.

become improperly positioned or associated with the screws. A helical projection or cam causes the advanced properly positioned terminal parts to experience a turn which renders them adaptable to be subsequently ad vanced and stacked within a suitable receiver or magazine.

An alternate embodiment of the invention includes a pair of horizontally disposed screws for receiving and advancing terminals indiscriminately associated therewith, one of the screws being provided with specially formed ways which serve to effectively orient improperly positioned parts into proper arrangement to be advanced by the companion screw member. This arrangement also provides a means for turning advanced properly positioned terminal parts and thereby arrange them in position to be subsequently magazined.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered with the accompanying drawings, in which.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an arranging apparatus representing one embodiment of the invention, the hopper of said apparatus being shown partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section of the arranging apparatus taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

. Figs. 4: and 5 are detailed views of a type of terminal part adapted to be arranged by the apparatus;

Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive are fragmentary plan views of the delivery end of the screw members and an associated terminal part, showing progressive rotational steps of the screw members assumed during the turning of a terminal part associated therewith;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan View of a pair of screw members representing an alternate form of the invention;

Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive are fragmentary plan views of the delivery end of the screw members shown in Fig. 9 disclosing progressive rotational steps of the screw members during the turning of a terminal part associated therewith;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the adjacent portions of the screw members shown in Fig. 9 to disclose the functional characteristics of the ways thereof which cause the orientation of an improperly associated terminal part;

Fig. 14 like Fig. 13 discloses another functional characteristic of the ways provided in the screw members which serve to properly arrange an improperly positioned terminal part;

Figs. 15 and 16 are detailed views of a type of terminal part adapted to be arranged by the alternate form of the arranging apparatus, and

Fig. 17 is a transverse vertical section of the screw members taken 011 the line 1717 of Fig. 9.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be observed that one embodiment of the arranging apparatus includes a base 20 provided with frame members 21 and 22 rising from the ends thereof (Fig. 1). J ournale-d between the frames 21 and 22 are a pair of parallel and horizontally disposed screw members 24 and 25 (Figs; 1 and The extremity of the screw 25 rotatably mounted within the frame 22 extends beyond the frame 22 and is connected with any suitable driving means (not shown). Secured to the screw mechanism 25 adjacent to the frame 22 is a gear 27 (Fig. 3) which meshes with asimilar gear 28 secured to the screw member 24. The gear 27 also meshes with an idler gear 29 suitably mounted in the frame'22 which in turn meshes with an internal gear 30 which is secured to a frame plate 32 of a rotary hopper denoted generally by the numeral 33.

The rotary hopper 33 comprises a cylindrical casing 34 which encircles the screw members 24 and 25 and is horizontally disposed upon the frame plate 32. A cover plate having a central opening formed therein is secured in position against the outer edge of the casing 34 by means of a plurality of spaced tightening nuts 36 threaded to the extremities of companion rods 37. These rods 37 extend horizontally through the hopper 33 adjacent to the inner surface of the casing 34 and are threaded at their inner extremity into the frame plate Roller bearings 39 rotatably mounted at one end in the frame 22 rotatably support the hopper 33 and a roller 40 mounted at the upper end of the frame 22 serves as an upper guide for the outer edge of the frame plate 32. From the foregoing it will be apparent that rotation imparted to the screw member 25 will result in the rotation of the internal gear 30 through the medium of the idler gear 29 (as indicated by the directional arrows) and the consequent rotation of the hopper 33 upon the roller bearings 39.

Referring now to the screw member 24 it will be observed that a uniform spiral groove or way 41 is formed therein. It is to be understood that this way 41 is of such a depth that when a projection or tip portion 43 of a terminal part 44 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 becomes lodged therein (Figs. 2 and 3) during rotation the part 44 will be advanced with the lateral surfaces of its body portion 45 interposed between the outer adjacent surfaces of the screw members 24 and 25. Rotation of the hopper 33 will cause the terminal parts 44 placed therein to be engaged and urged upwardly by the rods 37 and this will result in the parts being indiscriminately deposited upon the screw members 24 and 25. Some of the parts thus deposited fall into proper position between the screw members withthe tips 43 thereof project-ing away from the screw 25 and lodged within the way 41 of the screw member 24 as above mentioned. Other parts, however, may become lodged between the screw members 24 and 25 with the tip 43 extending away from the screw member 24 in which event a spiral way 47 provided in the screw member 25 will permit the terminal part to be displaced from its position between the screw members by reason of the fact that the depth of the way 47 is slightly greater than the length of the tip 43. The terminal part thus displaced will fall back into the hopper or if the part has been carried beyond the hopper it will fall into an incline chute 48 positioned beneath the screw members 24 and 25 which serves to direct displaced parts into the hopper. In the event that the deposited terminal part is otherwise improperly positioned upon the screw member, a relatively wide and deep spiral groove 49 formed in the portions of the screw member 24 between the spirals of the ways 41 permits the member thus positioned to be displaced therethrough upon the chute 48. To further provide against the continued advancement of improperly positioned parts radial pins 51 (Fig. 2) secured to the screw member 25 pass through the groove 49 of the screw member 24 during the rotation of said members and serve to positively eject or in some instances cause the proper orientation of im properly positioned parts.

A spiral projection or cam 52 formed near the extremity of the screw member 24 is designed to engage with a terminal part properly positioned within and advanced by the spiral way 41 so as to impart a turning movement to the part as it is being advanced.

The functional characteristics of this cam 52 will be clearly understood from a study of the progressive steps shown in Fig. 2 and Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive. Fig. 2 discloses the terminal part 44 as indicated by the numeral 53 in position to be acted upon by the cam 52. In Fig. 6 the cam 52 is shown as beginning its upward movement between the members 24 and 25 and making its initial engagement with the body portion of the terminal part. In Fig. 7 the cam 52 has been rotated upwardly to a still further advanced position and in Fig. 8 the cam has completely turned or arranged the associated terminal part, and ways 54 provided at the extremity of the screw member 25 are shown in position to receive the turned terminal part and subsequently advance said part within a receiver or magazine 55 (Figs.

1 and 2).

The magazine 55 is arranged to receive the terminal parts from the ways 54 in composite order as shown in Fig. 1 with each tip 43 of one terminal overlapping the tip portion of an adjacent terminal. A leaf spring 57 (Figs. 1 and 2) serves to guide the terminal parts into the magazine 55 during the advancement thereof by the ways 54 and it is to be understood that the magazine 55 when completely filled may be readily removed and replaced by an empty magazine.

An alternate form of arranging apparatus embodying the invention is disclosed in Figs.

. 9 to 17 inclusive and includes a pair of screw 1 members 59 and 60 rotatably mounted and actuated similarly to the screw mechanisms 24 and 25 already described. These screw members 59 and 60 are designed to receive an indiscriminately arranged group of terminal parts 62 as shown in detail in Figs. 15 and 16. It will be noted that the terminal parts 62 are formed with a body portion 63 having oppositely disposed projections or tips 64 and 65 projecting from the ends thereof, the tip 64 being larger than the tip 65. The screw member 60 is formed with a spiral way 67 which resembles the combination of a V thread and a square thread, the V portion of the thread forming the bottom thereof. The shape of the way 67 is such that when the smaller tip 65 of a terminal part 62 (as indicated by the numeral 66, Fig. 9) is passed downwardly within the way 67 and adjacent surface of the screw member 59 with the larger tip 64 extending away from the screw member 60, the body portion 63 of the terminal part will lodge itself within the square thread portion of the way 67 and the extremity of the tip 64 will rest against the outer surface of the screw member 59. This position is to be understood as the proper position or arrangement of the terminal parts between the screw members 59 and 60.

Depositing these terminal parts 62 upon the screw members 59 and 60 in an indiscriminate manner as has been heretofore described in connection with the depositing of the terminal parts 44 upon the screw mechanisms 24 and 25, the parts may assume varied improper positions as shown in Fig. 9 with either of the tip portions 64 or 65 resting within the way 67 and with the body portion 63 bridging the screw members instead of being properly lodged therebetween. To positively efiect the proper positioning of these improperly positioned parts during the advancement thereof, V-shaped ways 68 and 69 are provided in the screw member 59. The way 68 presents a helical path having a pitch or lead much greater than the lead of the way 67 in the screw member 60. When a terminal part 62 as indicated by the numeral 70 (Figs. 9 and 13) is positioned with the smaller tip 65 thereof positioned within the way 67 and its larger tip 64 resting upon the surface of the screw member 59, the side of the way 68 will eventually engage with the tip 64 as shown in Fig. 13 and thereby cause this tip portion to be advanced faster than the travel of the way 67. This will result in the smaller tip 65 being carried downwardly into the way 67 and the body portion 63 of the terminal part being oriented or properly lodged within the square thread portion of the way 67. The way 69 which presents an annular path about the screw member 59 is designed to engage with the larger tip 64 of an improperly positioned terminal part as indicated by the numeral 76 in Figs. 9 and 14. The engagement of the side of the way 69 with the tip 64 causes a momentary dwell of the tip during which interval the contin ued advancement of the way 67 causes the other tip 65 to be carried downwardly and forwardly with the result that the terminal part becomes properly lodged and positioned within the square thread portion of the way 67 (see Fig. 14). Ejector pins 71 9) radially positioned and secured upon the screw members 59 and 60 at spaced intervals serve to displace parts otherwise improperly positioned and discharge them into a suitable receiving tray or chute 72 extending beneath the screw members. The pins 71 serve also in some instances to orient an improperly positioned part and thereby cause it to assume its proper position between the screw members.

To positively displace improperly positioned terminal parts which may be so positioned that the ejector pins 71 fail to remove them, a bridge or guide member 74 (Figs. 9 and 17) is provided which is suitably secured at its lower extremity to the tray 72 and extends upwardly therefrom bewhen a properly positioned terminal part 62 is advanced by the screw member the larger tip 64: will be carried into overlapping engagement with the edge of the bridge 7a and will be urged along the arcuate path which the bridge provides. The purpose for this bridge will be apparent when it is understood that any terminal part not properly positioned which is urged along the arcuate path presented by the bridge will necessarily be carried. or elevated to a point approximating the uppermost surface of the screw member 60 when it reaches the middle portion of the bridge. At this point the surface of the screw member (50 is knurled (as shown at 73, Fig. 9) and the frictional engagement of this surface with the improperly positioned part will be suflicient to displace said part from the path of advancement and cause it to be deposited within the tray 72. As the properly positioned terminal parts are advanced beyond the bridge Tet they are subjected to a turning action which is occasioned by the engagement therewith of a cam 75 provided on the screw member 59 which is designed to impart a turn of 90 to the ad vanced terminal parts. The functional characteristics of this cam 7 5 are similar to the functional characteristics heretofore described in connection with the cam 52 (Fig. 1) and it is believed that the progressive steps disclosed in Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive will serve to clearly explain its operation.

Following the turning of the terminal parts 62, said part is carried forwardly in companion ways 77 and 78 provided at the extremity of the screw members 59 and 60. A suitable detachably mounted receiver or magazine 79 is provided to receive the terminal parts 62 in composite order as they are urged forwardly by the action of the ways 77 and 78.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism for advancing an article, and a means cooperating therewith having a groove for arranging the article during the advancement thereof into a predetermined position.

2. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism for advancing an article associated therewith, and a movable member cooperating therewith having a slot for dis placing an improperly associated article.

In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism for advancing an article associated therewith, and a rotatable member cooperating therewith having a slot for arranging an improperly associated article.

1. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism for advancing an article associated therewith, and a means cooperating therewith having a spiral way for properly arranging improperly associated articles.

5. In an apparatus for arranging articles,

a screw mechanism for positioning and advancing articles indiscriminately associated therewith, and a means cooperating therewith having a cam groove for arranging properly positioned articles as they are advanced by the screw mechanism.

6 In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism for positioning and advancing articles indiscriminately associated therewith, and a rotatable screw member cooperating therewith having a way for displacing improperly positioned articles.

7. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism .for receiving and advancing articles, and a rotatable member having a cam surface for arranging the articles as they are advanced by the screw mechanism.

8. In an apparatus for arranging articles. a screw mechanism for receiving and arranging articles, means for associating articles therewith, and means for directing articles not arranged by the screw mechanism to the associating means.

9. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism for receiving and advancing articles, a rotary member for delivering articles to the screw mechanism, and means for returning articles not arranged by the screw mechanism to the rotary member.

10. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism for receiving and arranging articles, a rotary hopper for delivering articles thereto, said screw mechanism extending within the hopper.

11. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism having a spiral way for advancing articles indiscriminately associated therewith, and means for elevating the associated articles as they are advanced to selectively displace articles therefrom.

12. In an apparatus for arranging articles. a screw mechanism having a spiral way for advancing articles indiscriminately associated therewith, and a knurled peripheral surface portion adapted to frictionally engage with and displace improperly associated articles.

13. In an apparatus for arranging articles, a screw mechanism having a spiral way for advancing articles associated therewith, said way being V-shaped at the bottom and conforming to a square thread at the top.

1 1-. In an apparatus for arranging articles having a projection, a screw mechanism having a spiral way for advancing articles. and a means cooperating with the screw mechanism having a way for engaging with the projection of the advancing articles.

15. In an apparatus for arranging articles having a projection, a screw mechanism having a spiral way for advancing an article associated therewith when the projection thereof is in a proper predetermined position. and a means cooperating with the screw 

